Clifton Students Sit at St. Joseph's Table

By Mary McCarthy
Herald Staff Writer
(From the issue of 3/27/03)

CLIFTON — The month of March is typically associated with St. Patrick’s Day and the first day of spring, but falling halfway between those days is another day that deserves just as much recognition.

Although St. Joseph didn’t rid the island of snakes, people from Sicily are as devoted to him as the Irish are to St. Patrick.

In the middle ages, Sicilians prayed to St. Joseph to end a famine caused by a drought. When their prayers were answered and it rained, the people showed their thanks to St. Joseph by sharing their precious food with the poor.

Continuing that tradition, altars are erected that consist of at least three tiers to symbolize the Trinity. At the center of the table there is a picture or statue of St. Joseph surrounded by flowers and candles. The altar and the food are blessed, so none of the food may be wasted.

The poor are often invited to St. Joseph Day celebrations to enjoy the food that is prepared, but more often now, collections are taken to be given to charities.

Since the feast day falls during Lent, the food served is meatless. Pasta, bread baked in crosses and other Christian shapes, cookies, fruit, artichokes and pastries are all served at room temperature.

Perhaps the signature dish of St. Joseph’s Day celebrations is pasta con mudrica, or pasta with sawdust. Spaghetti is tossed with oil and breadcrumbs, to resemble sawdust, representing St. Joseph’s work as a carpenter.

A group of women have continued the St. Joseph Day tradition at St. Andrew the Apostle School in Clifton.

Joayn Bahr, the first secretary of St. Andrew School, prepared the first altar in 1996 with Karen Truman, then sixth-grade teacher. Bahr, an Italian originally from New York, and Truman, an Italian from Texas, shared fond memories of the St. Joseph Day celebrations when they were children.

The first altar erected at St. Andrew was made of a single table set with the traditional goodies, but over the years as the organizers have found more information on the tradition and celebration, the altar has grown, and now three tables are needed to hold the food that is served to the students, as well as some parishioners.

Following the morning Mass, Father Jerome Fasano, pastor of St. Andrew Parish, asked the kindergarten and first-grade classes about St. Joseph.

The students told Father Fasano that Joseph was Jesus’ foster father, that His real father was God.

Father Fasano told them that St. Joseph is the patron saint of a happy death because He is not mentioned in the Bible in Jesus’ later life, so he must have died with Jesus and Mary by his side.

Father Fasano also discussed why St. Joseph is the patron of the Universal Church, of workers and families.

After Father Fasano blessed the food, students were called by grade to choose their favorite treats to take back to their classrooms.

Although the adults present the breaded artichokes and cannoli as their favorites, the cake decorated with St. Joseph and Jesus, and the strufoli with sprinkles were clearly the favorites of the youngsters.

This year, Michelle Martin, the mother of four students at St. Andrew School, served as chairperson of the St. Joseph’s Day Committee and baked many loaves of bread in several different patterns.

Roseanne Backus, who has helped with the altar for several years, prepared the pasta con mudrica and breaded artichokes. Bahr prepared several pastries, including cannoli, crispelle and strufoli.

Monetary donations received at the table at St. Andrew School will be sent to Amigos de Jesus, an orphanage in Honduras.

Crispelle (Bow Ties)

Recipe from Joayn Bahr

8 egg yolks, 4 whole eggs, 1-cup sugar, 1 Tablespoon salt, 3 shot glasses of whiskey, 5-6 cups of flour

Mix all ingredients together using dough hook. Roll out to 1/8 inch thickness. Using knife or pastry wheel, make 1-inch strips or 6-inch diamond shapes. Cut a slit in the middle and pull one end through making a bow. Fry in hot oil (may use deep fryer)

Drain on brown paper bag covered with paper towel. Sprinkle with powdered sugar (10X).

Strufoli (also know as Pignolata)

Recipe from Joayn Bahr

5 cups of flour, 3 teaspoons baking powder, 1 1/4 cup of sugar, 4 eggs, lightly beaten, 1/4 cup margarine (melted), 1/2 cup milk at room temperature, oil, honey, nonpareils (little sprinkles)

Combine flour and baking powder and set aside. Mix sugar, eggs, margarine and milk. Add flour mixture to milk mixture. Kneed slightly (may use dough hooks).

Roll into pencil size strips. Cut in half-inch pieces. Fry in hot oil (may use deep fryer). Drain on brown paper bag covered with paper towel

Place cooled "balls" into a large bowl. Heat honey, but do not make it hot. Pour honey over balls, to your taste. Shape into a "beehive" arrangement or put on a plate. Sprinkle with the nonpareils.

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